Show case, in particular for displaying shoes or the like

ABSTRACT

A show case, e.g. for displaying shoes or the like, comprises horizontal shelf plates ( 2 ) and tilted shelf plates ( 4 ). The tilted shelf plates ( 4 ) are pivotably supported and can be tilted upwardly. The pivots ( 40 ) and support elements of the tilted shelf plates ( 4 ) as well as the guide rails ( 44 ) of the horizontal shelf plates ( 2 ) are vertically displaceable in side plates ( 1 ) of the show case and may be locked in desired positions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention refers to a show case, in particular for displaying shoesor the like, comprising horizontal shelf plates as well as shelf platestilted from the rear toward the front, said tilted shelf plates beingdisposed each above a horizontal shelf plate and supported by ahorizontal pivot axis located in a rear area of the show case and beingupwardly tiltable around said pivot axis.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Show cases with horizontal and tilted shelf plates as used in the pastin the field of store architecture have impressive number of drawbacks.The confusing mass of shoes presented in pairs renders the customer hisdecision to purchase difficult, and, particularly if the salesfacilities are difficult to survey, or in supermarkets, the danger oftheft is increased. The solution as adopted in some instances, todisplay only one shoe of the pair, is not suited as a permanent solutionbecause the sales personnel must spend a lot of time for procuring thesecond shoe of the pair from storage.

The suggestion has already been made, to build a show case of the kindmentioned above. Such a show case makes it possible to place one shoe ofa pair of the tilted shelf plate, and the other on the horizontal shelfplate underneath. A show case of this kind is disclosed in DE-OS No. 2529 198. A disadvantage of this known show case consists in the fact,that the pivotably tilted shelf plate is supported on the horizontalshelf plate located below, in the region of its front edge. This makesit impossible, to select the slope of the tilted shelf plate independentof its distance from the horizontal shelf plate. On the contrary, theshow case disclosed in DE-OS No. 25 29 198 has the disadvantage, thatthe distances between the horizontal and the tilted shelf platescorresponding to a specific slope is set once and for all, so that thisdistance must be selected considering the largest sized pair of shoes.

A show case is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,722 to the applicant. Inthat prior art show case bearing boxes receiving the pivots fastenedonto the side plates are connected in particular with the tilted shelfplates at the rearward areas thereof, said bearing boxes being disposedin lateral glued parts which may be provided, e.g. of wood or plastic,running perpendicular to the plane of the tilted shelf plate. Thisembodiment shows not only a particularly stable construction of theshelf plates, which, when wood is used, is also pleasing to the eye, butthe application of the pivot bearing is rather complicated, because thebearing boxes are separate, distinct components that must be connectedto the tilted shelf plates.

According to one embodiment of the show case of U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,722each bearing box is provided with an angled slot open toward the sideand having one leg running perpendicular, and another leg runningparallel to the tilted shelf plate, said perpendicular leg being open atits bottom and said parallel leg being closed toward the rear.

It is an object of the present invention, to make improvements on theshow case mentioned above, so as to avoid the previously mentioneddrawbacks and, particularly, to make it adaptable in a simple manner ofthe conditions concerning availability of space, for example in a salesstore. Another object is to build a show case pleasing to the eye.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing and other objects are attained according to one aspect ofthe invention by making pivot bearings of the tilted shelf platesintegrally with the shelf plates themselves.

According to one embodiment of the invention each bearing box and thetilted shelf plates are integrally formed from plastics material or frommetal or of combinations thereof so that they may be manufactured e.g.by injection molding or casting in a one step operation.

In order to prevent the shoes from sliding off the tilted shelf platesthere may be provided retaining bars or ledges which may be locked indifferent positions on the tilted shelf plates. In such an embodimentthe shoes supported on the tilted shelf plates abut with the front sideof their heel against the retaining bar or ledge. These retaining barsor ledges according to one embodiment of the invention are inserted intogrooves provided in the tilted shelf plates opening to the upper sidethereof.

Within the framework of the invention elastic cams may be provided inthe leg of the angled slot of the bearing boxes running parallel to thetilted shelf plate for securely holding the pivot pin(s).

Furthermore, provision may be made within the framework of theinvention, to provide the horizontal shelf plates on their lateralsurfaces facing the side plates with slots engaged by guide railsfastened to the side plates, which guide rails when engaged into thelongitudinal slots do not only establish an appropriate mounting ofhorizontal shelf plates, but also allow horizontal adjusting of thehorizontal shelf plates. This embodiment allows for a particularlysecure and visually pleasing application of the horizontal shelf plates.

It may be desirable not to provide for an unconditional possibility oftilting the tilted shelf plates upward for the purpose of makingaccessible the shoes resting on the horizontal shelf plates. If such bethe case, there may be provided within the framework of the invention,lock bars or bolts disposed below the tilted shelf plates, each lock baror bolt being retractable against the force of a spring from its lockingposition, in which said lock bar or bolt engages e.g. into a bore in atleast one of the side plates of the show case.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Additional details and advantages follow from the subsequent descriptionof embodiments schematically shown in the drawings. The figures show:

FIG. 1 a perspectivic view of a tilted shelf plate,

FIG. 2 a sign to be attached to the front edge of the shelf plate ofFIG. 1,

FIG. 3 a perspectivic view of a horizontal shelf plate with guide rail,

FIG. 4 a section along the line IV-IV in FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 in a view corresponding to the view of FIG. 4 a differentembodiment of a tilted shelf plate,

FIG. 6 a perspectivic view of a tilted shelf plate, a horizontal shelfplate and a side plate with three rows of bores in a position for ladiesshoes and

FIG. 7 a perspectivic view of a show case comprising a side plate, atilted shelf plate and a horizontal shelf plate in a position forgentlemen shoes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In accordance with FIGS. 1, 3, 6 and 7 in particular, the show case ofthe invention comprises horizontal shelf plates 2 and tilted shelfplates 4 disposed between vertical side plates 6. In the embodimentshown in FIGS. 6 and 7 there are provided in the side plates 6 threerows 8, 10, 12 of holes equidistantly positioned to one another. Inorder to facilitate insertion of pins and the like in the holes (bores)in the side plates 6 numerals 14 are provided.

As shown in FIG. 1 each tilted shelf plate 4 comprises a plane topwall20′, two plane sidewalls 22 and a curved frontwall 24. On the undersideof the topwall there are provided to series of rips or ledges one seriesof ledges 26 extending longitudinally and the other series of ledges 285 extending perpendicular thereto.

In the sidewalls 22 of the tilted shelf plates 4 there are providedintegrally formed bearing boxes 30 each provided with an angled slot 32having one leg 34 running parallel and one leg 36 running perpendicularto the topwall 20 of the tilted shelf plate 4. The perpendicular leg 36is open at its bottom and broadens at its end region. The horizontal leg34 comprisis cam surfaces 38 which produte inwardly and are elasticallydisplaceable outwardly if a pivot is pushed by way of the slot 32 intoits final position. The pivot may be a simple pin 40 inserted in one ofthe holes 10, 12 of a side plate 6.

In the top surface wall 20 of the tilted shelf plate 4 there is providedat least one slot 50 intended for receiving a retaining bar or ledge 52.

As shown in FIG. 4 the slot 50 may be a simple slot or as shown in FIG.5 the slot 50 may be provided with a U-shaped profile 54 extending overthe ontire length of the slot 50.

The retaining bar or ledge 52 of the tilted shelf plate 4 inserted intothe at least one slot 50 in the top wall 20 of the tilted shelf plate 4is intended to prevent the skidding of shoes 60, 70 off the tilted shelfplate 4.

FIG. 2 shows an identification or price plate 56 of arced shape whichmay be attached to the frontwall 24 of the tilted shelf plate 4 asindicated by the arrow 58 in FIG. 2.

The horizontal shelf plate 2 as shown in FIG. 3 may be a simple platehaving slots 48 in its sidewalls 42 for receiving guide rails 44 whichcan be fastened to the side plates 6 by inserting pins 46 of the guiderails 44 into appropriate holes 8, 10 of the side plates 6. It ispossible to provide for longer guide rails 44 and for shorter guiderails 44. Shorter guide rails 44 are primarily intended for the FIG. 6show case (ladies shoes). Longer guide rails 44 are primarily intendedfor the FIG. 7 show case (gentlemen shoes and boxes on the horizontalshelf plates 2).

The tilted shelf plates 4 can be turned each in the region of its rearend around a pivot pin 40 inserted in one of the holes 10 or 12 of theside plates 6. The lower end position is set by means of supportelements inserted in one of the holes 8 of the front row. It is easelyseen that the lower end position of the tilted shelf plate 4 may beselected and will depending on the particular hole 8 into which thesupport element (e.g. a simple pin) has been inserted.

However such support element may be inserted into a hole high enough toplace the tilted shelf plate 4 into a horizontal position if desired.

In as much as the slope of the tilted shelf plate 4 may be selectedwithout regard to their distances from the horizontal shelf plates 2located underneath it is possible to arrange the support elements insuch a way that the tilted shelf plates 4 occupy in their lowestposition a tilted position which has been selected.

The show case of the invention provides for the second shoe 60′ of apair mating with the shoe 60 resting on a tilted shelf plate 4 to bepositioned on the invisible horizontal shelf plate 2 located below theshelf plate 4. This represents an important advantage of the invention,because the distance between each tilted shelf plate 4 and itscorresponding horizontal shelf plate 4 may be adjusted in accordancewith the height of the particular model of shoe 60 to be displayed. If,at any time, the second shoe 60′ resting on the horizontal shelf plate 2is wanted, the tilted shelf plate 4 is turned upward, rendering therebythe second shoe 60′ of the pair accessible.

The horizontal shelf plates 2 may be pushed forward from their positionshown in FIG. 1 whenever the tilted shelf plates 4 are kept in theirturned-up position, as e.g. in the event of a clearance sale. As soon asone show case is partially emptied, one or several of the tilted shelfplates 4 may be lowered again, so as to always impart the visualimpression of full show cases.

If it be desirable not to provide for an unconditional tilting upward ofthe shelf plates 4, a locking device (not shown) may be provided foreach tilted shelf plate 4 in the region of its front edge, which devicein its locked position prevents the shelf plate from being tiltedupward.

In FIG. 7 an embodiment of the show case of the invention is shown inwhich the storage space defined by the horizontal shelf plates 2 is usedfor storing boxes 70′ for shoes 70 which are displaced on the tiltedshelf plates 4. In this embodiment the horizontal shelf plates 2 arepushed back in order to provide for sufficient space for shoe-boxes 70′.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 in the side walls 22 of the tilted shelfplates 4 there are recesses 29 open the underside which allow anhorizontal position of the tilted shelf plates 4 both for use of theshow case of the invention for ladies shoes and for gentlemen shoes. Inthis case an additional pin is inserted into appropriate holes 10 inboth sidewall plates 6. These pins abut into the recess 29 and engagethe sidewalls 22 in the region of the basis 27 of the recesses 29. Thebasis 27 is aligned with the upper side of the legs 34 of the angledslots 32.

In order to facilitate and assist in selecting appropriate holes 8, 10and 12 respectively when setting up the show case templates may beattached to the side wall plates 6. These templates having markings,e.g. in the form of holes/slots, that identify the holes into which pinsfar the tilted shelf plates 4 and for the guide rails 44 are to beinserted. Such templates can be provided for arranging the show casefor—ladies shoes 60 (FIG. 6)

-   -   gentlemen shoes    -   ladies shoes with boxes on the horizontal shelf plates    -   gentlemen shoes 70 with boxes 70′ on horizontal shelf plates        (FIG. 7)

1. Show case, in particular for displaying shoes (60, 70) or the like,in which horizontal shelf plates (2) as well as shelf plates (4) tiltedfrom the rear toward the front are provided, said tilted shelf plates(4) being disposed each above a horizontal shelf plate (2) and supportedby a horizontal pivot axis (40) located in the rear area of the showcase and being upwardly tiltable around said pivot axis (40), said pivotaxis being pins (40) inserted into holes (10, 12) in sidewalls (6) ofthe show case and wherein bearing boxes (30) receiving the pivots (40)are disposed on either side of the tilted shelf plates (4), whereinfurther the bearing boxes (30) are formed integrally with side walls(22) of the tilted shelf plates (4).
 2. Show case as claimed in claim 1,wherein the sidewalls (22) are integrally formed with the topwall (20)of the tilted shelf plates (4).
 3. Show case as claimed in claim 1,wherein the sidewall plates (6) comprise at least three rows (8, 10, 12)of holes for receiving pins (40, 46).
 4. Show case as claimed in claims1, wherein the horizontal shelf plates (2) are provided with slots (48)on either side (42) for receiving guide rails (44) fastened to thesidewall plates (6).
 5. Show case as claimed in claim 4, wherein theguide rails (44) are fastened to the sidewall plates (6) by insertingpins (46) into selected holes (10, 12).
 6. Show case as claimed in claim4, wherein guide railes (44) of at least two different length areprovided.
 7. Show case as claimed in claim 1, wherein slots (50) areprovided for receiving ledges (52) for retaining shoes (60, 70) on thetilted shelf plates (4).
 8. Show case as claimed in claim 7, wherein theslots (50) are provided with U-profile strips (54) open to the uppersideof the tilted shelf plates (4).
 9. Show case as claimed in claim 8,wherein the sidewall (22) has recesses (29) open to the free end of thesidewalls (22)
 10. Show case as claimed in claim 9, wherein the basis(27) of the recesses (29) is aligned with the upper edge delimiting theleg (34) extending parallel to the tilted shelf plate (4).
 11. Show caseas claimed in claim 2, wherein the sidewall plates (6) comprise at leastthree rows (8, 10, 12) of holes for receiving pins (40, 46).